


Knots

by Iordio



Series: Reflexions [4]
Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-10-17 20:08:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20626832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iordio/pseuds/Iordio
Summary: Coming out and coming home.The joys of being on holiday, means I have time to think and write.





	Knots

“Elinor called me today. She’s coming home late Sunday afternoon and going back to London on first train on Wednesday morning,” Serena informed Bernie as they were wrapped in each others arms on the sofa half-watching 'Have I Got News For You.

“Oh. Are you going to...” trailed off Bernie.

“I probably should, especially as we told Jason last week.”

“Only if you’re sure. I don’t want you to feel that you have to. I know I blurted it out to my two without thinking. Do you think she knows?” asked Bernie.

“Don’t know. I've mentioned you a couple of times, and she knows we’ve gone out for dinner a few times.”

“I’ll stay at mine.”

“Would you mind?”

“Yes, but purely because I’ll miss you, and your bed is more comfortable than mine,” said Bernie as she shifted so she could kiss Serena.

“Nice save, Ms. Wolfe,” as Serena relaxed into the kiss, taking the opportunity to slip her hand under Bernie’s top and thumb her nipple. 

The last two months had been a heady bubble of confessions, desires, explorations, caution, and euphoria. They were finding their equilibrium, their gravity, their orbit. 

\--

“Eli, have you got a minute?” asked Serena, her stomach in knots and her hand on her pendant dragging it to and fro along the chain.

“Yeah, but I’m heading out to meet Gabby for brunch, and I need to get ready.”

“That’s fine, I’m heading to Bath for the afternoon with Bernie.”

“You’re always doing stuff with her. What happened to that police officer you were seeing. It is Valentine’s Day, wouldn’t you rather be spending time with someone with potential than a someone you hardly know?”

“Well... It’s not like that.”

“Yes it is, Mum. You don’t have to be on your own. I can set up a dating app for you.”

“No, Eli. It’s fine. It’s more than fine, actually. How would you... I mean if I was seeing... What if I’ve met someone?”

“How can you when all you do is work!” said Eli, cutting her Mum off mid-flow.

“I do have a life you know. Eli, please...” said Serena who was trying to placate her headstrong and ever so slightly judgemental daughter.

“Eli, the thing is... I’m seeing someone,” rushed out Serena. “It’s early days, but it could be serious.”

“When did this happen?”

“A few weeks ago.”

“So, how can you know it’s serious then?”

“Because it is,” said Serena reflecting her daughter’s petulance as she crossed her arms.

“What does he do, then?”

“Aah, and there we go,” said Serena.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s not what you’re expecting, neither was I. I want you to know that it came as a shock to me too.”

“Mum, you’ve completely lost me.”

“I met them at work,” said Serena who was willing Eli to put two and two together.

“Who?” asked Eli. 

“Bernie,” said Serena, more exasperated than she realised.  


“I thought Bernie was a woman.”

“She is. Oh, god!” sighed Serena. “It’s Bernie. I’m seeing Bernie. Well, it’s a bit more than that, we’re together. There. Now it’s out in the open,” spluttered Serena. Fleur’s words coming back to haunt her.

“Are you serious! So does this mean you’re a lesbian now, and you’ll be going full on hippie?”

“Yes, I’m serious. All I know is that I’m in love with her.”

“You’re joking, right? Is this you having some sapphic mid-life crisis?”

“Don’t know, but if it is, it’s the happiest crisis I’ve ever faced.”  


“Does Dad know?”

“Of course he bloody doesn’t. Why would I tell him?” asked Serena, completely taken aback by her daughter’s questioning.

“Ugh, not sure what’s worse. Your latent lesbianism or his thirty year age difference with Liberty,” said Eli as she flounced around the kitchen.

“Eli, how dare you. I brought you up to be a liberal and accepting young woman!” said Serena through gritted teeth. 

“...Sorry,” said Eli realising her Mum’s temper was rising.

“Darling, I’d like you to meet her, Bernie, that is. It would mean a lot,” said Serena as softly as she could.

“Does Jason know?"

“Yes, we told him together last week.”

“What’s she like?” asked Eli.

“Wonderful. Fearless. Affectionate. Loyal.”

“No, I meant appearance. But good to know.”

“Slightly taller than me, blonde, slim, brown eyes. Will that do?”

“God, Mum. You can be obtuse at times. Where’s your phone. You must have picture of her?”

“Why don’t you get ready, I’ll give you a lift into town and we can pop into the hospital and I can point her out?” suggested Serena, knowing full well that her daughter would not be happy until she’s been introduced to Bernie. And this way it allowed them both to gather their thoughts and calm down.

\--

“Lou, have you seen Ms. Wolfe?” asked Serena as she scanned their ward.

“Think she’s scrubbing out.”

“Thank you.”

\--

“Serena, what are you doing here. I thought I was coming to yours?”

“Ah, change of plan. I thought it would be a good idea to introduce you to Elinor. Hope you don’t mind?” said Serena who smiled weakly.

“Oh. Don’t have much choice if she’s already here, do I? Is she, I mean you have told her?” queried Bernie.

“Yes, which is why I’m here. I thought that as I’ve met your two, it’s only fair that she meets you. Plus this way, you don’t have to fret too much,” said Serena, trying to reassure her girlfriend whose mouth was doing a very good goldfish impression. “Bernie, it’ll be fine. Ten minutes then the day is ours,” said Serena as she held out her hand for Bernie to take as they took the short walk from the nurses station to their office.

“Elinor, I would like you to meet Bernie Wolfe,” said Serena more bravely than she felt.

“Hi, Elinor,” as Bernie stretched out her hand to shake her partner’s daughter’s hand. “I appreciate this must feel slightly awkward.”

“A bit.”

“You know what your Mum gets like when she’s on a mission,” said Bernie.

“She is still here! And I do not!” said Serena, her eyes shining with love. 

“Mum, you do so,” retorted Elinor who watched her Mum glare at Bernie who was biting her lips to hold in her laughter. “And stop with the heart eyes, both of you!” easing the tension in the room.  


“Right, right... Eli, lovely to meet you, but I need to check on the chap in bed seven before I finish. And,” looking at Serena, “I’ll see you in twenty minutes,” and with that Bernie was gone.

“What do you think?” 

“Honestly?”

“No, lie! Of course, honestly!”

“I’ve never ever seen you look at someone like you've just done. That was just weird. And she is a huge improvement on Robbie,” stated Elinor.

“She is, she’s quite wonderful. Er... are you going to be OK with us? I mean, I wont, I couldn’t if it..."

“Mum, relax. Bit of a shock to have your Mum come out and introduce her girlfriend to you in the same day. At least if I ever bring a girl home you’ll be fine with it,” said Eli, smirking as she headed out of the office. Leaving Serena standing there in shock.

\--

They had decided to forgo Bath and headed to Bernie’s instead. More privacy, less chance of Serena’s errant daughter coming home and discovering her Mum and girlfriend in the throes of passion.

There’s something rather decadent about spending the afternoon in bed shagging each other to tatters whilst everyone else is at work, and telling said person that you’ve fallen in love with them thought Serena as she held her dozing partner in her arms. 

Serena was thinking about her life before Bernie; dull as dishwater Robbie; the duplicitous Edward; Buttons – the one night stand and laughed to herself at how poor the sex had been in comparison to now. 

Sex with Bernie was, oh so different, they had time, it was a relatively new experience for both of them and were very much learning what each other liked, what drove each other wild, what it felt like watch Bernie come undone with her fingers inside her, how their bodies had adapted, how their tolerances had changed over the last few weeks. 

From not having much sex in the previous few months to having very regular sex over the last six weeks. From their first kiss, their first fumble in Bernie’s car, from their first time they shared a shower together one Wednesday evening at Serena’s, to their first time they had gone down on each other. It may have new a new relationship, but it felt like coming home, and Bernie was very much Serena’s home, she thought.


End file.
